The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has shared the reason behind his continued support for the University of Port Harcourt during his tenure as Governor of Rivers State and later as a minister.
Speaking on Saturday at the university’s 50th anniversary and 35th convocation ceremony in Port Harcourt, Wike explained that his backing was driven by the positive impact the federal institution had on him as an alumnus.
“It is in the light of the foregoing that I have always strongly believed that every alumnus should give back to the university as a mark of pure gratitude. This also explains why I freely give to this institution whenever I have had the opportunity to so do,” Wike, who was conferred with an honorary Doctor of Science degree in Political Science by the university, said.
He said that throughout his duty tours, he never hesitated, nor denied that he was a happy alumnus of the university, adding that he did so not out of convenience, but as a deliberate pursuit of commitment to gratitude for a university that gave him “so much”.
“To this extent, you would recall that even though this university was established in 1975 as a conventional university, there was no Law faculty in this university. So when I became a Minister of State (for) Education, I saw it as an opportunity that we must have a faculty of law.
“I’m glad that the Vice Chancellor said it here today that today, we have a Faculty of Law. I did not only end at that; I said there must be a befitting faculty of Law building, and I insisted, and today, we have that faculty of Law,” he said.
Speaking further, he said he insisted that a faculty building be erected for the Social Sciences to decongest the one that previously housed two faculties.
He said, “Those of us who share the same faculty with the humanities and social sciences, you will agree that it was a very tight building to house these two great faculties of social sciences and humanities.
“As the Minister of State for Education, through TETFund, I insisted that a new faculty of Social Sciences has to be built for the Faculty of Social Sciences, and we named it after one of the most eroded political economists, Professor Claude Ake.”
Wike also highlighted several projects he executed in tertiary institutions in the state as a governor and minister.
He, therefore, called on alumni to give back to their alma mater as a way to contribute to the development of education in the country.